H1N1 Victim's Mother Urges Vaccine Use

November 5, 2009

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The parents of a young girl in Baltimore who died of swine flu are urging other parents to vaccinate their children.

Fourteen-year-old Destinee Parker died in late September. She had no underlying medical conditions that her parents or doctors knew about. Her stepmother, Deirdre Parker, said parents should take whatever precautions they can take to protect the lives of their children. Parker said she always gets seasonal flu shots for her children but that the H1N1 virus took the family by surprise.

Health officials in Maryland have confirmed 13 deaths from swine flu. School-based vaccination clinics are underway in Baltimore this week. Five schools for students with disabilities will get the vaccine first.

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